MQM admits some of its workers fled to India in 1992

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has admitted that some of its workers fled to India during the 1992 operation without taking prior approval from the party leadership. It said the MQM had nothing to do with the training of these people who had gone to India.
The MQM Rabita Committee, in a policy statement on allegations of the party’s links with India, said on Sunday that the party will continue to be loyal to the country. The Rabita Committee said the MQM was a patriotic political party, and it will continue to be loyal to Pakistan without any condition. It said the injustices done to the MQM after the start of the state operation against the party on June 19, 1992 are a matter of record. It said thousands of MQM workers were forced to go to different parts of the country for saving their lives. The statement said some party workers headed to foreign countries where they obtained asylum.
The countries where the MQM workers headed included the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Australia, the Middle Eastern states and other countries of the world. “Some went to India for saving their lives as they could not go to any other country,” said the statement issued from Nine Zero.
The Rabita Committee said the 1947 Partition had divided families as well besides the division of land. “It cannot be denied that the number of Muslims living in India is more than Pakistan. These MQM workers chose to go to India because hey had family ties in India, and they thought that they will not face hardships of homelessness and hunger,” said the statement.
It said the MQM workers who had gone to India for saving their lives did so without informing the party, and this cannot be called the policy of the MQM. It said the MQM was a party formed by descendants of the founders of Pakistan and it cannot even think of any plan against the country.
The Rabita Committee appealed to the establishment to review everything in the light of facts by casting aside emotions and use of force as it would be in the larger interest of the country.
“Just as clemency is being announced for the estranged Baloch people who are highly praiseworthy, the establishment should also heal the wounds of Muhajirs by forgetting the past bitterness,” said the statement.
The Rabita Committee said that such a step would be in the interests of the nation and the country, and the MQM will extend its fullest support to it.